HD-Background Selector

What a busy time it has been! Allow me to fill you in on what's been happening....

Firstly Mike decided we should have a little road trip to Brooks Guitars and let me tell you, I am smitten. This was by far the most beautiful guitar I have ever played and probably the most expensive! I will be saving all future pennies for one of these and some sort of fancy inlay. Honestly cannot praise Brooks enough on their craftsmanship -- they make their own machines for crying out loud! Lovely people, lovely instruments :-)

So epic road trips aside what else have we been up to? Well rehearsing with the soulful likes of Kiera Osment for our gig at the Plough of course! We've also played at Barnstaple Foodfest, been in the North Devon Journal this week, twice, and on local radio show, The Voice who will soon be moving to FM and have invited us to come on the first breakfast show. Details to be confirmed so watch this space!

So aside from all the promoting and pushing for the plough what else have we been up to? Oh you know, just drafting the song lists for the next three albums.... You heard me ;) We are planning on becoming something of recluses this winter in an attempt to hopefully bring you two of these albums next year. So naturally this means a lot of new material, more instruments, more Mike and a bit more of a range musically so I am hoping you will like where we're going and follow us there :)

So keep watching this space 'cause there's lots more news to come and we hope to see you all on Thursday at The Plough Arts Centre. :)

Kiera has put up with a lot of random song suggestions from both me and Mike so please do show your support for her patience! She has a great voice and I am truly looking forward to showing you all what we've been working on.

So I support this blog entry is a plug :) an effort to lure you into the holio-verse for Halloween at the plough because I've been thinking about it and:

1. if you don't like halloween it's a great alternative way to spend it as you won't have to put up with trick or treats, you'll just get a musical treat (see what I did there? ;)

2. If you do like halloween we have some subtle references to the theme through song - and I mean subtle, we're not doing any songs about Dracula here...

So I mean really there should be something for everyone, oh and if there is an original song you would specifically like to hear please either comment here or on Facebook and I will do it as an encore and give you a big ol' shout out because honestly I know I say it all the time but I wouldn't be able to do any of this without your continued support so thank you all again :-) See you soon!

There've been lots of developments in the roholio-verse lately, mainly in terms of instruments so allow me to give you a quick update. Number one I was able to have my second ever guitar done up by Bideford Bay Guitars and its debut gig was at The Dolphin, Combe Martin -- in which me and Mike realised we have to be more careful with the pickup! Second update is that I have been renovating an autoharp with John Purser (Banjo tutor extraordinaire) in the hope of being able to use in the set. It's having a bit of trouble adjusting to it's new strings but fingers crossed it'll settle down soon and I can get working on some tunes. Third update is that I am debating making my own dulcimer on account of mine being rather quiet live. Now bear in mind I know next to nothing about making instruments so I'm going to need a bit of support in this area but I am fairly determined I can do it! If I manage it I'll take pictures as I go and post them up here so you can see my progress (or cringe and my stupidity).

So there you have it! Lots of instrumental changes, in terms of gigs we've had a lovely August of performing which ended with a special, intimate gig at Tapeley Gardens. It was great to see Jenna again and we all have a great evening. Me and Mike are hoping to have a musical "swot" over the next month or so as we've lots of new material to get learning and arranging so stay tuned and we'll let you know what we get up to!